Handle and lock cover



-Aug. 14, 1951 R F. JORDAN v I 2,554,012 I HANDLE AND LOCK- COVER 1 Filed July 29, 1949 INVEN TOR. RAY F. JOE-DAN Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED rarer OFFICE 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved cover for the handles and. key locks of such as the doors of automobiles, for protection of the lock structure against infiltration of snow, rain or water splashed. from the road and against resultant rusting or freezing of the lock, rendering the lock. inoperable by its key, the primary object of the invention. being to provide a more eflicient and practical cover of this kind which can be installed more securely and is easily removable even when coated with ice.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a cover of the character indicated above which does not require removal from the handle to enable. opening or closing of the associated door by means of the handle and need be only artially removed or displaced to enable insertion. and removal of the key in the look.

A further important object of the invention is the. provision of a cover of the character indicated above which incorporates an absorbent pad to. engage the keyhole portion of the handle lock in a manner to absorb any moisture which may have accumulated thereon, and thereby prevent the freezing of such moisture which might otherwise render the lock inoperative.

Other important. objects and advantages fea-- tures of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific embodiment, of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

7 Figure 1 is afragmentary side. elevation of an automobile having. door-locking handles, with a device in accordance with the present invention installed on one of the handles;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal. section taken. on the line. 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figures 3. and- 4 are vertical transverse sections. taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respecdirected. terminal H fixed. to the door. The cylindrical terminal I l contains the door lock mech anism including the push-button l2 normally projecting outboardly beyond the cylindrical terminal ll and formed with the keyhole 12' to accommodate, a key (not shown). While the invention is especially applicable to this type of locking handle, it is also applicable to other forms of locking handles wherein. the key lock mechanism is at one end of the handle.

The herein-illustrated cover, which is generally designated [5, comprises. a spring Wire frame [6, which. can be formed. from a single length. of suitable gauge. wire, to provide a circular loop or ring, I l to loosely encircle the inboard end of the cylindricalterminal II and engage the door surface 8., the. ring I 1 being slightly open at one side with the ends bent at right. angles relative to the ring to define parallel portions I8, is long enough to reach. to a point near the inboard surface of the intermediate handle portion T, as shown in Figure 2. The parallel portions 18 merge into parallel longitudinal portions 19, is long enough to-reach to the inboard surface of the handle. terminal Ill, and bowed or not to conform to the inboard. surface of. the intermediate handle portion 7. The ends of the longitudinal. portions. l9, [9, remote from the ring I'J are connected by an angulated loop 28 of a shape and aperture to conformably embrace the sides and outboard surface of the handle terminal IS.

The longitudinal portions [9, I!) are spaced from each other preferably at a distance less than the width of the intermediate portion 5 of. the handle, so that they engage the. sides of the inboard surface of the intermediate handle portion 1 when the device is installed and hold the device in place, and require to be spaced apart to enable removal oi the device from the handle.

Facilitating removal of the device from a handle B and serving also to increase the security of the grip of the device upon the handle are cars 2!, 2! formed in one frame. portion I9 and one or more similar ears 22 formed in the other frame portion I3, preferably between the ears 2|, 2!. These ears preferably project slightly in laterallyinward directions relative to the portions I9, It,

so as to act as fingers grippingly engaging behind them apart and thereby spread apart the frame portions l9, l8 sufliciently to enable the frame IE to be pulled ofi? the handle 6.

A boot 23, made of thin flexible material, such as rubber or weatherproof fabric, comprises a cylindrical portion 24 adapted to loosely surround the cylindrical handle terminal H, as shown in Figure 2, and having a closed outer end 25 having secured to its inner side an absorbent pad 26 positioned to bear against the outer end of the pushbutton I2, and cover and close the keyhole l2 therein to prevent entry of moisture therein and to absorb any moisture already present. The edges of the open inboard end of the cylindrical boot portion 24 are trained over and secured to or otherwise suitably secured to the ring I! of the frame l6, as indicated at 21.

The boot 23 further comprises a trough or channel-shaped intermediate portion 28 shaped and sized to conformably engage the handle intermediate portion 1, as shown in Figure 2, with the edges 29 of its sides secured to the longitudinal frame portions l9, l9 and around the loop 20 like the edge of the inboard end of the cylindrical boot portion 24.

To install the cover [5, the frame [6 is spread to receive the handle 6 by pulling the ears 2| and 22 apart and pushing the cover onto the handle with the ring I! circumposed on the cylindrical handle terminal I l and the ears 2| and 22 at the upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate handle portion, the pushing being continued until the ears and the longitudinal frame portions l9, l9 engage behind the intermediate hand portion 1 and the loop 20 embraces the handle terminal ID. The cover IE will then be properly secured on the handle 6 with the absorbent pad 26 closing the keyhole.

To insert a key (not shown) in the lock keyhole l2, the cylindrical boot portion 24 is grasped and pulled in an outboard direction until the keyhole [2 is exposed, whereupon the key may be inserted and turned to open the lock. The pushbutton may be operated, while the lock is unlocked, without displacing the cylindrical cover portion 24, due to the flexibility thereof. In the event that ice covers the device and resists manual displacement thereof, an instrument, such as a key or a screw driver, can be inserted between the ring I! and the door surface 8 to easily pry the ring loose, whereupon the cover can be partially displaced to permit use of the key, or entirely removed without difliculty.

I claim:

1. A cover for use on an elongated handle having an inboardly-directed terminal on onev end, a lock member projecting outboardly from said one end and having a keyhole exposed at the outboard side of said handle, said cover comprising a spring wire frame comprising laterally-spaced longitudinal members adapted to be spread apart to pass the handle therebetween and to be released to contract and grip inboard portions of the handle, a ring on and joining said longitudinal members at one end and arranged to encircle said terminal, a loop at and joining the opposite ends of said longitudinal members and shaped to embrace the end of the handle opposite the said terminal, and a flexible :boot open at its inboard side and having its inboard edges secured to said ring, said longitudinal members and said loop of said frame and adapted to enclose said handle and the terminal thereof and protect said keyhole while said cover is in place on the handle.

2. A cover for use on an elongated handle 4 having an inboardly-directed terminal on one end, a lock member projecting outboardly from said one end and having a keyhole exposed at the outboard side of said handle, said cover comprising a spring wire frame comprising laterallyspaced longitudinal members adapted to be spread apart to pass the handle therebetween and to be released to contract and grip inboard portions of the handle, a ring on and joining said longitudinal members at one end and arranged to encircle said terminal, a loop at and joining the opposite ends of said longitudinal members and shaped to embrace the end of the handle opposite the said terminal, and a flexible boot open at its inboard side and having its inboard edges secured to said ring, said longitudinal members and said loop of said frame and adapted to enclose said handle and the terminal thereof and protect said keyhole while said cover is in place on the handle, said longitudinal frame members being formed with inboardly-projecting ears facilitating spreading of said longitudinal members for removal and installation of the cover on the handle.

3. In combination, a handle comprising an elongated portion having inboard terminals adapted to be secured to a door and to space said elongated portion from said door, a lock member projecting outboardly from said handle in the region of one of said terminals and having a keyhole at its outboard end, a cover for said handle comprising a spring wire frame comprising an open ring encircling said one terminal and said lock member in position to contact said door, said ring having ends, two spaced longitudinal portions proceeding from said ring ends and extending along opposite sides of and behind said elongated portion, and a loop connecting the ends of said longitudinal portions opposite said ring and embracing the other terminal, and a flexible boot having a channel portion receiving and covering said elongated handle portion, said channel portion having edges secured to the longitudinal frame portions.

4. In combination, a handle comprising an elongated portion having inboard terminals adapted to be secured to a door and to space said elongated portion from said door, a lock member projecting outboardly from said handle in the region of one of said terminals and having a keyhole at its outboard end, a cover for said handle comprising a spring wire frame compris ing an open ring encircling said one terminal and said lock member in position to contact said door, said ring having ends, two spaced longitudinal portions proceeding from said ring ends and extending along opposite sides of and behind said elongated portion, and a loop connecting the ends of said longitudinal portions opposite said ring and embracing the other terminal, a flexible material boot comprising an elongated channel portion conformably covering said elongated handle portion, said channel portion having 1ongitudinal edges secured to and along said longitudinal frame portions, and a cylindrical portion at the end of said channel portion enclosing said one handle terminal, said cylindrical portion having an open inboard end having edges secured to and around said ring and having a closed outboard end registered with said keyhole and the outboard end of said lock member.

5. In combination, a handle comprising a el0n-- gated portion having inboard terminals adapted to be secured to a door and to space said elonat d Tii rom s d. Q r, a lo member p jecting outboardly from said handle in the region of one of said terminals and having a keyhole at its outboard end, a cover for said handle com prising a spring wire frame comprising an open ring encircling said one terminal and said lock member in position to contact said door, said ring having ends, two spaced longitudinal portions proceeding from said ring ends and extending along opposite sides of and behind said elongated portion, and a loop connecting the ends of said longitudinal portions opposite said ring and embracing the other terminal, a flexible material boot comprising an elongated channel portion conformably covering said elongated handle portion, said channel portion having longitudinal edges secured to and along said longitudinal frame portions, and a cylindrical portion at the end of said channel portion enclosing said one handle terminal, said cylindrical portion having an open inboard end having edges secured to and around said ring and having a closed outboard end registered with said keyhole and the outboard end of said lock member, and an absorbent pad secured to the inboard side of said closed outboard end and bearing against the outboard end of said lock member so as to protectively engage said keyhole, said cylindrical boot portion and said frame ring being flexible in an outboard direction relative to said frame and said boot and away from the door in a manner to uncover the outboard end of said lock member without dis: engaging the cover from the handle to provide access to the keyhole.

6. In .oombination, a handle comprising an elongated portion having inboard terminals adapted to be secured to a door and to space said elongated portion from said door, a lock member projecting outboardly from said handle in the region of one of said terminals and having a keyhole at its outboard end, a cover for said handle portions proceeding from said ring ends and extending along opposite sides of and behind said elongated portion, and a loop connecting the ends of said longitudinal portions opposite said ring and embracing the other terminal, a flexible material boot comprising an elongated channel portion conformably covering said elongated handle portion, said channel portion having longitudinal edges secured to and along said longitudinal frame portions, and a cylindrical portion at the end of said channel portion enclosing said one handle terminal, said cylindrical portion having an open inboard end having edges secured to and around said ring and having a closed outboard end registered with said keyhole and the outboard end of said lock member, said lock member being movable in an-inboard direction to open the lock, and said cylindrical cover portion being suflioiently flexible to enable displacing said lock member in an inboard direction by exerting inboard pressure upon the closed outboard end of said cylindrical portion in contact with the outboard end of said lock member.

RAY F. JORDAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,830,383 Bos Nov. 3, 1931 2,070,955 Parisoe Feb. 16, 1937 2,217,730 Cooley Oct. 15, 1940 2,236,208 Creel Mar. 25, 1941 

